This invention relates to a new and improved tubular product clamp.
Tubular product clamps such as slips are used in the oil industry for holding tubulars, such as drilling tubes in a firing line. Classic slips comprise a set of wedge shaped slip blocks, which are placed in a slip bowl to engage a drill pipe or casing. The angled surfaces of the slip blocks in combination with the angled surface of the slip bowl cause axial forces exerted by the tubular on the slip blocks to be transferred into a lateral gripping force exerted on the pipe. Thus, the slip blocks support the tubular in the firing line and prevent it from slipping through the slip. The tubular can be disengaged by lifting the tubular to take the weight off the slip blocks. The slip blocks can then be lifted out of the slip bowl.
Known slips are provided with a contact surface with which they contact the support surface of the slip bowl. Due to the clamping forces generated when clamping a tubular in position, the wear in of these surfaces is significant. Therefore frequent maintenance and replacement of parts is necessary.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a tubular product clamp in which the above mentioned drawbacks are eliminated altogether or occur in a greatly reduced extent.
In particular it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved tubular product clamp, preferably with reduced wear of its components, and which preferably allows for quick and easy movement of the clamp.